SLA pulls FDLs back

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 November 1999, 11:51 GMT]The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is establishing new forward defence lines (FDL) at Madhu road junction on the Vavuniya Mannar road after the Liberation Tigers took control of large areas in the northwestern district of Mannar yesterday.

The FDLs are being put up at the junction where the railway station and post office are situated, the sources said.

Meanwhile church sources said nearly 3000 civilians have moved in to the precincts of Madhu church.

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) suffered hundreds of casualties when the Liberation Tigers captured several SLA camps on the strategic land route between Vavuniya town and Vidathaltivu on the western coast, the LTTE said in a press release today. The Tigers said they lost 10 fighters.

The LTTE launched simultaneous attacks on Pallamadhu, Periamadhu, Paalampiddy and Thatchanamaruthamadhu and overran the military bases in these areas yesterday.